Thanks for the great content. I just recently bought my first bike. Listening to you explaining about gripping with your knees, toes in hits home with me. I used to ride horses, English style, and we use that method on horseback. Hopefully this will be a bit easier for me to get and keep in practice in the future. As for the elbows...my family hate me at the dinner table, I am practicing elbows out while we eat 😂
Great video - Thank you! I am the proud owner of a new KLR 650 and while I've ridden extensively on the road in my life, I am a complete novice off-road. I just took her off the pavement for the first time yesterday and I saw first hand how much I have to learn!
as a person who bought drz400 last year and almost never ride trails and off road at all, im thanking you, you are giving me the courage to go and try it out by myself thanks again, love your videos you are truly inspiring!
This is exactly why I lift weights four days a week and stretch daily. If ya think fitness is not important in offroad riding, ask the rider who just rode circles around you what they think. Oh, congrats on being back on the bike.
dont need to lift weights for offroad riding...just balance balance balance - slackline, unicycle, balance board, trials bike, core training, running and stretching
i lifted weights. loading rail cars -2/3 bushel boxes of pears. 2,500 boxes- 500,000 pounds- 1 hour- its done & the doors were sealed. then- here came the long haul trucks- dozens- monday tru friday. 160 lbs 19" biceps- popeye forearms-- made decent $ AND made for epic sunday single track rides-- those are real muscles- soaking wet with sweat breathing hard at work 9 hours + each day. The weight lifters at work? good for about a week tops-- too much bulk, not flexable- no wind in there sails--- pardon spelling--
The number one way to get better is to ride with people that are better then you are. Why! Because you end up taking harder lines, and you see them go up a rock face and make it you know it's possible and you try and maybe make it up or they toss you pointers and you try again. If you always are just riding with the same old person although it's fun it won't help you to improve on technique. My last outing to Idaho and riding with racers had me trying stuff that if I'm leading a group I might avoid for the sake of the group or my line wouldn't be the gnarly line (well gnarly in my mind but that is relative). Improving your riding techniques will not only make you faster, even if you just want to ride dirt roads it makes you smoother and it makes those dirt roads that much better to ride on. So for the poopoo'ers that are like "but I don't ride gnar" well the same techniques just make life easier even on easy dirt roads. True you might never need to know how to do a Pivot Turn, or a log hop but a lot of skills still transfer over and just makes your time on the motorcycle more enjoyable. Have fun, and get out there and ride RU-vidr's...just riding leads to better skills.
Meeker Extreme I've got a friend who just went pro in motocross and I've been riding with him for years. he's always been better than me (mostly cuz he has way more track time) but I still learn A LOT from following him through lines on a track or even just asking questions. I went from mid pack C class to leading the points in 250 B and Open B in the MAMA series. thinking of moving to A class next season.
Meeker Extreme you are absolutely right when a faster racer passes you on a trail, you can follow his lines and techniques without thinking about it too much. Excellent post :-)
First-time rider and bike owner, grew up on the east coast in the city. And I don't really know a lot of dirt-bikers out West here, this was the perfect introductory vid with some super basic and incredibly helpful tips. Gabe is a great teacher, keep the basics vids coming!
I rode dirt when I was younger then went to mountain bikes in my 20s this is where I learned all of these skills. I had the privilege of learning these skills from the New England motocross champion from the 60s Mr. Joe Collins! He taught me how to downhill and go FAST & SMOOTH WITH the same technique as you’re talking about! I don’t mtb anymore cuz I’m 51 now! But I am going this direction now!! Great video!!!
Since 11 years old when I got my first bike a brand spanking new beastly ttr-125 I was riding wrong. T-Rex arms, straight knees or sitting down too far back on the seat. It wasn’t until I was about 22 when I got another bike and had RU-vid at my disposal that I learned all this stuff and it helps sooooooo much.
They have been said many, many times before yet they seem to need be said many, many times over again. Awesome info. These tips will work but only if applied. Knowing is not enough.
Soooo true! I just needed a serious kick in the pants to get out and DO them... over and over... with nothing else on my mind other than DOING THEM. It's hard to practice fundamentals because you get out and you just wanna ride, but Gabe is an awesome coach and it was REALLY good to have somebody on the Sena coaching me!
Bro, i dont know if this is cuz of me but ur channel is fucked up!... Not in a bad way xD But for some reason i can't go to ur vids its gets an error and i can't even subscribe dude! So sorry. I checked other channels, in hope that youtube is fucked and it will be fixed but no.. it happends just here. Anyway u have good vids! inspirational! keep it up! ... oh guess what i cant even send a comment
as a self educated off road adventure rider, I learned all those nice topics the hard way (yet a short one). Other cool things I learned, speed is your friends when it comes to send or gravel, and to never try and save your bike when falling, just leave it and let it fall and slide, just make sure you end up without injuries. Also when you feel like your bike is about to fall on its side, it means you are too slow, turn the throttle up and witness the magic. Another small tip, keep those RPMs high! your engine responds much faster and with much more power when you are on high RPM, so don't rush to that third gear when off road, and for gods sake, forget that you have a front brake! don't touch it!
I fell off yesterday and broke my ankle after the bike landed on top of me I still don't know what happened all I know is I was wearing all the gear I have only had the boots for a couple of weeks i could not imagine what would of happened to my leg if I was not wearing mc boots. I'm in the hospital now watching tour excellent vido and looking for tips for what I did wrong Thank you
Happy to see you back at it. It's always refreshing to reevaluate your approach to a discipline no matter which discipline it is. You always come away with some new perspectives. Thanks
Another great tip I picked up from Jimmy Lewis at the Touratech rally is always keep one foot in place on the foot pegs. This is for slow speed maneuvering stuff while sitting down. Having both feet off you lose all control. Standing is of course usually advisable, but often I find I am able to corner faster with my butt on the seat MX style
I did exactly the opposite of you. I started riding off road at 47 years old and knew it would all be about technique. So I signed up for clinics and learned only proper skills because I am too old to unlearn bad habits. The result is that I became a much better and faster rider than I thought was possible. It was a steep learning curve with lots of crashes, broken bones, and pain. However, it was sure worth it. I got my "B" card and recommend signing up for as many races as you can.
Great video! Just got my first bike, a Ducati Scrambler Desert Sled and although I got it with the intent to take it off road all the time, I've crashed almost every time! I'm 38 and didn't grow up riding, but have always been fascinated with motorcycles. The on road stuff seems a lot more intuitive and I've been having a blast this winter (even though its been mostly in the mid 30's this winter, here in Utah County) Anyway, I'm stoked to go out and try theses techniques and see if I can stay on my bike for once! And just so you know, your channel is one of the big influences in finally getting a bike, like I've always wanted. Killer channel! And if you're still recovering from your surgery, best of luck with the recovery!
Thank you , Thank you, Thank you! Tyler, I'm an hour away from suiting up for a local dirt rip with some buddies and I came across this vid. I need all the tips and coaching I can get. Like you, I've "heard" most of these riding tips before. However, you inspired me to really put this tips to the test today. Cheers buddy!
Great video. Perfect length. Enough explanation, some great first-person examples of these tips in use, but not overly lengthy. Thanks for posting. I have never been good on dirt, but I am gonna get the little TW200 farm bike out and do some practice!
I’ve only ridden a few times and would love to get into time willing. But the stance thing is just natural to me and made sense. Granted I did ride bicycles a lot so it may have been from that. The foot facing outward, I have done so that is useful. The arms facing outward, again came natural to me. These are great tips though for those who develop bad habits early.
Good stuff!! Not only as a reminder for me, but as I work with my 13 year old daughter on her crf230f . This video will help improve both are riding skills.
Good job man. Most of this is second nature to me as a 30 year competitive mt biker, but still totally useful to me as a brand new dirt/dual-sport motorcyclist. And I definitely have to return to St.George sometime, but now with an engine under me.
I just want to say thank you for all these videos and keep on keeping on. I was in Moab in the middle of March but we got kicked out because of the Rona virus. Only got a couple days in down there but I want some more. That place is amazing! Your videos of Moab made it easy to choose where I rode. Just..... Thanks!
You never realize how challenging off-road riding is on a bike til you ride one. I new to riding dirtbikes Offroad. Few yrs ago I got an ATV & thought that riding a dirtbike would be pretty much the same & was definitely surprised
go compete in a beginner trials event and you will learn all these things naturally....going slow will teach you these things so you can go fast naturally plus a lot more...and you don't need a trials bike to compete in the beginner class....but watch out trills riding/competing is very addictive.....
Thanks for sharing. Im in a similar situation started riding first in my family and just trying to pick up tips and tricks, and shake the bad habits that I'm not aware of completely. Definitely going to subscribe and keep following and putting these to the test.
If you start an exercise program, think about incorporating mountain biking. I'm no expert mt bike rider, but after having been off a moto for about 30yrs, I found the techniques highly transferable and prob saved my butt on my "first" off-road moto ride. Granted, it had been awhile since I was a pedal pusher, but when I recognized the similarities, I put the knowledge (as best I could remember, and almost exactly what you describe here) into practice it helped immensely. Great vid, great advice. Glad to see you back in the saddle!
l learned a couple things by watching this video. I'll go throw around my loaded down DR650 with an 7 gallon tank and test it all out. Seriously, great video, Thanks for taking the time to make it.
Basic motocross body positioning 101 here, but always a good reminder to beginners getting into riding. I suggest riding as many disciplines as possible, from track to off road. Tracks can be intimidating, but it forces you to apply everything you talk about here lap after lap. You will be surprised at how much better you trail riding gets.
Great video. Knew about everything but position of the feet but I never realize how important they were. I've been riding 16 years and was impressed by these simple tips. Good to see you back on a bike Everide!
This has been the most helpful off-road riding video for beginners I have ever watched. It deserves way more views! Keep up the good work! Now out to the pits to put these tips to the test
Lmao I had no idea he rode. I randomly walked in to a store as a kid and he hooked me and my family up, with that awesome mop and rags! For free! Lol it lasted us for years and my mom loved it. Great video!! Wondering what off-road dual sport bike is gonna be good for me. I hope you Feel better from your surgery! Thank you for speaking on these exercises!! And small but big differences of your body. I haven’t found anyone describe this!! Great job!!
Great tips! I'm getting back to dirt riding after years of street and road racing. A lot of these tips improve control and comfort during street & track riding as well. Clamping the tank between your knees is the key to a relaxed grip on the bars and allows for smooth throttle, brake, and clutch actuation.
Excellent video. I am SO guilty of the same bad habits, now Its my turn to cowboy-up and start doing it right. Looking forward to your other vids.BB, Spokane Wa.
I've only been out trail riding twice now, just bought my first dirtbike 3 weeks ago and am already riding expert trails with this advice (given to me by my oldest brother and his friends who have been riding since they were kids) and I can tell you like another person said ride with people who are way better than you. It may be uncomfortable at first, but within no time you'll be shredding. I did bmx and rode mainly dirt for like 10+ years and have a good understanding of the physics of riding, but I think paying attention as far ahead of you as you can, keeping the right stance including gripping the tank area with your knees, keeping in the right gear, having your suspension set up properly, balancing standing and sitting to maintain energy, and taking advice from other expert riders will get you really far really fast. And never say I cant do that, because you have to try to learn how to do things by doing the things that you don't think you can do, that doesn't mean try to do really stupid stuff just try to do things that will make your skill level grow and give you the experience to become a better rider.
Great tips! It's amazing how much of a difference something simple can make. Getting your weight forward on the bike, whether standing or sitting, for example, makes it so much easier to control the bike.
Hi Tyler, enjoyed your video while it is snowing here in Ontario, Canada. It's my day off and I was looking for a few videos with tips for riding off road as my off road riding definitely needs work. I (Summer) enjoyed this again today and appreciate the tips as reminders for the upcoming season. After being off my motorcycle for almost six months again, it is great to refresh on the key body positioning to keep in mind. Have a great day!
I came into the DualSport world from riding Mtn Bikes and a lot of these concepts are the same for mountain biking, so I already had some of these habits down. Great content on here man. You just earned a sub. :D
It's funny how many people have told me I needed bar risers because I ride in this low crouched position in the technical stuff but it works, LOL! Awesome tips!
Its interesting that allot of what you're describing, is similar advice that a track rider would get on a sport bike. Balls of your feet on the pegs, elbows out, knees on the tank, lean forwards towards the handle bars (kissing the mirrors as they say). The main difference is u don't stand on a sport bike, but on a race track you would still partially unweigh your seat and support most of your body weight with your legs.
Your new techniques will go even further on less technical terrain. I quit rock pounding 1st gear stuff. I realized after racing supermoto that hauling ass and sliding around with airflow thru the helmet is better for my mental state. Shoot the breeze. Practice of fundamentals is good for every level rider; these vid took a lot of guts/humility. The hardest trails aren't always the most fun, also racing can get too stressful. Fun 1st. Your on the right track
Awesome video! Thanks for the great info. I just got my first bike about 5 months ago and it was funny when I watched the video and realized I was doing the same stuff. I'm anxious to ride and implement these coaching tips. Great job, keep up the good work!
Such a great video, brutha! Been riding since I was kid, but never really was able to articulate some of these ideas clearly enough. So, thanks for this one!!
Hey mate your videos are grate always Learn something or just plain interesting AND your cinematography is Amazing! You really put some effort in and it shows. I am seriously surprised you don't have more subscribers your work is more professional then most TV shows. Keep up the good work. From a DR650 and XR250 adventure rider in Western Australia
Gripping with your knees only offers more control while NOT gripping with your hands. You can get the bike to lean side to side with, wait for it......your hands on the bars! Locking your knees to the tank only lets the bike knock you around in the gnarly stuff. Trials riders have more control over their bike than most of us, yet you don't see them hanging on with their knees. Heck, they couldn't even if they wanted to. I took lessons from a guy once rated 2nd in the nation in trials, Mark Mannico , and one of the first things he said was to splay your knees while riding technical. Gripping with knees is for motocross, not trail (ok, maybe the long flat, fast, sections). I do have to try the foot placement though as I do the same thing you used to do and point my toe out to avoid the shifter. I'm am afraid of injuring my ankle though as it has already been badly sprained several times and is pretty weak.
Tyler: Another excellent video. I can't wait to try these riding tips next time I go out. I too ride with my feet arches on the pegs but do not point my toes out. Thanks again.
Hey, man, glad to see you on the bike again and having fung on the track (one really can hear you're enjoying it)! And niiice editing again ;-) It seems I REALLY need a lighter bike than my 650 to practice all your tipps. After watching your vids I always feel the urge to go on the bike. Unfortunately, I need a looooooot more practice.
Toni K I did it other way round, spent years on my motorcycle, then in mid life I took up serious of road with a mountain bike. What a blast man, once you are powering around at self generated speed, you learn so much but also much from my Moto days skills were a straight transfer.... I would say however mountain biking is harder
I was thinking the same. I'll know when I get a dirtbike, but so far, it has helped me to bunnyhop freaking hugh-mungus potholes with my 100kg scooter... I would say that's already a win!
@@Fyodor48 Mountain biking is harder? You must have never done mediocre Enduro riding. With a Mountain bike you can just put the feet down and lift it to a better position if you go steep uphill full of big rocks etc. You can't do this with an Enduro. Yeah, good try, Mountain Biking is much easier, unless you're riding a regular uphill slope, then obviously you work harder on a MB but that doesn't mean it is harder. Also, MB much easier to control and balance, much easier to do everything with it. Easier to control on hard impacts with rocks, jumps, it is just in all aspects easier, no idea how you can think it is harder, only if you never rode mediocre difficulty and upwards Enduro trails. As for falling, the bigger they come, the harder they fall, enough said.
Can't wait to try these tips on my heavy ADV bike, it tires me out pretty bad sometimes. Kane Creek is nuts, I did it in my double cab Tacoma last year, kinda hurt to see you blitz through a section (9:21) that took me almost 30 mins to get through.
Mate buy some steg pegs, there the best things you'll use while you ride. They keep you legs in place and friction helps you not get thrown off the bike as easy
I can't agree more about the "athletic stance", and off-road experience can save your butt on road too. I started riding bikes when I was seven, and when I was a senior in high school in '86 I had a CB750 Super Sport. No matter how much experience you have on bikes, eventually you will make a mistake, or two, or three... One day I forgot to put my side stand up leaving a buddies house. Everything was fine until my first left hand turn, when I was going 50 mph. I heard the kick stand grind on the pavement and ran straight off the road into a ditch. Instinct kicked in, and I stood up in an athletic stance, just like I'd learned riding dirt bikes, and I somehow managed to keep the bike upright, and got it back on the road. When I stopped to look myself and the bike over for damage, I found weeds caught in the tank badges. The bike was fine, but took a while for me to stop shaking.
Good to know my switching to a bent stance instead of prairie dogging it was a good move that I made early on. I've always had issues with foot placement, good to have a better explanation of where I've been wrong. I don't know if anyone else is knock-kneed but if you are like me, I find if my toes are turned outward I automatically am gripping the tank. However, the arm thing I gotta get used to. Biggest problem I've found is gripping the tank so that my legs aren't sliding around on the tank. Anyone else have this issue? Especially, on a factory steel/aluminum tank?
To learn to control the bike with my bodyweight and legs I used to ride down mountain roads with no hands. After a few days of training I could ride down any paved road no handed with ease. Once on the trails this translates into massive reductions in armpump
FYI, you are correct about the elbows out for riding. But when actually doing pushups, you should be doing the t-rex style with your elbows close to your body. Having your elbows hanging out to your sides like that will probably lead to injured elbows
Love the channel !!!! I too was inspired by the film The Long Way Around, I'm a 49 year old guy who has owned a fair share of different types of bikes [just sold my Triumph Daytona} and will be picking up a 2018 XV250 next week. Your channel is an inspiration to us all. Have you thought of doing a vid about nudging folks in their local area to form online groups and whatnot? After all that's how dual sport community can grow right? just a thought...... signed Gardawg from central MO. Peace out
Nice tips man! The shorter version of this video turned out really good. I have been trying a lot of these while riding and it feels a little awkward at first but I think it has been helping! Can't wait to put them to use in Utah one day!
The engineering that goes into motorcycles (really any internal combustion engine) is amazing. They're so fun to work on, motorcycles are like really expensive Lego kits for adults. Riding them though, that's hard for me.
somehow I found myself doing these unconsciously within a month after I first got on a bike, the only advice anyone's ever given me is that "if your tires fall in a track just throttle hard". The only hard time I've had was with my arms, I was kind of intimidated at first and tended to hold on a bit tighter, but I gradually started relaxing and sinking into it as the feel of the bike improved
Hey thanks. I'm getting comfortable standing but need to work on elbows and foot placement. Elbows especially ... hiway riding on a klr forces you to try to be as compact as possible to minimize buffeting.
I started about 6 years ago also, but I rode atvs on the tracks and the hills my whole life so wasn't as hard to get used to a bike but I know what you mean about bad habits.